534 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 20, 1883. 
supplies a want needed during the dull season. It is impossible for any 
one person to have seen the whole of the exhibitions above enumerated, 
as so many fell on the same day, but a few of the principal I have been 
fortunate to visit, and these I shall remark upoD. 
Beginning with Southampton, which was indeed a grand exhibition, 
a great number of classes being devoted to the flower in question, in 
every class the competition was most keen, as well as the quality of the 
flowers superb. I have never before seen classes in which collections 
were so nearly equal. The leading class was for eight Japanese and 
sixteen incurved or reflexed. A class of this description has much to 
recommend it, as the back row is made up of Japanese, and the other 
sixteen principally incurved. For my own part I would prefer to see 
the reflexed struck out, as they do not harmonise with incurved 
flowers, so that if framers of schedules were to ask for twenty-four cut 
blooms of Chrysanthemums, to consist of eight Japanese placed in the 
back row and sixteen incurved in the other two rows, they would find 
plenty able to compete that could not find twenty-four good incurved 
varieties. It is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back, so it is the 
last one or two flowers in a collection of twenty-four incurved varieties 
that weakens many a stand. This is a class that will not only work well 
if adopted, but is most effective. The back row being Japanese brightens 
the stand considerably. I think the above class at Southampton, for 
which the first, second, third, and fourth prizes amounted to about £7, 
brought seven competitors, which means 168 blooms, and all good. All 
•other classes throughout were almost without an exception as well filled, 
so that I have no hesitation in placing Southampton this year in the 
front rank of exhibitions. 
Kingston was the next Exhibition I saw. Taken collectively it was not 
as large as last year, for we had only three competitors for the challenge 
■cup, and here Mr. Molyneux, who has proved himself to be one of the 
best cut-bloom growers, was a long way ahead of the other two collections ; 
but these three collections represented 144 blooms, and I am told there 
were upwards of 1600 blooms in the Exhibition. For freshness and 
quality of bloom, together with the numbers exhibited, Kingston may 
well be said to have held its own amongst the best. 
The Borough of Hackney Show at the Aquarium I could not see, 
which I much regretted. The Society is now designated the National, 
but why I do not know. To be a real National Society it should hold 
exhibitions in the provinces. Possibly this may be the intention of the 
•executive ; if not, I fail to see how a Society always holding its exhibitions 
at the Aquarium can be truly termed “ The National.” My best wishes, 
however, are with them for the success they have already attained in 
popularising this flower. 
Northampton held a splendid exhibition, enlisting two noted London 
growers in their cut-bloom classes; but the greatest object of interest to 
all growers was the class at Birmingham Exhibition, where the magnificent 
sums of £10, £7, £5, and £2 were offered for forty-eight cut blooms, 
twenty-four Japanese and twenty-four incurved—a very heavy class, in 
which no one can expect more than four or five exhibitors to enter. At 
Birmingham there were four good collections, but the number of cut 
blooms in the other classes must have been as disappointing to the 
executive as to myself, and less than 100 feet of tabling contained all 
the cut blooms exhibited. The plants here were a grand feature, 
excelling everything I have met with this season. 
Passing onwards from exhibitions to Chrysanthemum sports, I confess 
that I am much puzzled at the change of colour as well as form of petal 
that sports sometimes show. It has frequently been proved beyond 
dispute that the change is not only in the colour, but also an improve¬ 
ment in petal and other characteristics—for instance. Mr. Bunn is a 
great improvement on Beverley, Mabel Ward appears to have a 
broader petal than its parent Eve ; but probably the variety most 
given to sporting is Mrs. Gf. Bundle, for it is not an uncommon circum¬ 
stance to see perhaps half a flower white and the other part yellow. 
There can be no doubt that many plants show the two characters on 
the same specimen, and have to be perpetuated in the manner described 
on page 484. There are others, however, which perpetuate themselves, 
or in other words the cuttings are taken from the base in the ordinary 
manner, and at the blooming season the lucky possessor discovers some¬ 
thing unfolding its petals very different from the variety the cutting was 
taken from. Why such changes should take place I cannot answer, but 
it is enough for my present purpose to show that sports do originate in 
this manner, as well as from the transformation being noticeable at the 
same time on the same plant. Allusion has been made by Mr. Bardney 
to the keeping properties of Lord Wolseley. I thoroughly endorse them. 
It is a far better keeper than Prince Alfred, and a variety I hold in the 
highest estimation. The petal to me appears broader than Prince Alfred, 
and in every case that I have seen it has come true, which I think 
reflects great credit on Mr. Cannell, to whom the stock was transferred. 
It is singular that this variety originated from a root cutting. Mr. 
Orchard became the fortunate possessor of it, and was quick in perceiving 
its good and distinctive qualities, otherwise probably Lord Wolseley as an 
exhibition Chrysanthemum would have been unknown. I am told that 
White Venus originated with Mr. Shrimpton, a noted old grower at 
Boehampton exactly in the same way. The original plant when 
unfolding its white petals was labelled Venus. Will other readers 
throw any light on the origin of sports?— J. W. Moorman. 
Now all the Chrysanthemum shows are over I think it would be 
advisable to give a few words of advice with regard to making lists 
of prizes for next year, and what I would suggest is that prizes should 
foe given for cut blooms shown with foliage as grown on stems 6 inches 
above the boards ; say the back row of blooms Japanese, middle row 
incurved, and front row large Anemones, which would have a splendid 
effect when arranged on the exhibition table. This would give all good 
Chrysanthemum growers the same chance of winning ; but as the prizes 
are given now, the one that can dress his blooms the best has much 
the best chance of winning, and it would look much more natural to 
see the flowers shown with foliage without cups or collars.— George 
Stevens, F.B.H.S., St. John's Nursery, Putney. 
MR. McINDOE’S GRAPES-DUKE OF BUCCLEUCH IN 
DECEMBER. 
I read with pleasure Mr. Mclndoe’s article on Grapes on page 488, 
and was especially pleased to see that that “ much-abused Grape, the 
Duke of Buccleuch, was one of the number sent to you for inspection. 
That the Duke will keep in good condition till the end of December or 
beginning of January has been proved by the writer, and therefore he is 
glad to see that others have been able to do the same, as other writers 
have questioned if such could really be done. Nothing can excel the rich 
sugary flavour of the Duke when the Grapes hang till December; and even 
when hung longer and become shriveUed it has still a splendid flavour, 
and even richer sweetness. When plump and fresh, however, the Duke 
is more fitted for the table, as it has all its fine appearance to add to the 
fine flavour. That it can be had in such a condition at this time of year is 
beyond a doubt, and Mr. Mcjndoe is to be congratulated on being one of 
the few, as yet, who have so kept the Duke. Side by side with Gros 
Colman a bunch of Duke of Buccleuch forms a grand dish, being quite 
equal in size to the black giant, and easily surpassing it for quality and 
flavour. Though not recommended as a late Grape, the Duke can and has 
been kept late in good condition, and the cultivator who manages to do 
this is amply rewarded for his trouble. 
It is to be hoped many more samples of the Duke may he met with in 
the future about this time of year. There is no reason why it should not 
be so.—N. 
SALVIAS. 
These are very useful plants, and where they succeed form a good 
contrast to our bedding plants. I have used the scarlet S. splendens for 
several years in a border some 300 feet long, and have planted them 
alternately with Gladiolus, and they fill up well and keep a good suc¬ 
cession of bloom as long as the frost will allow, which this year was till 
the end of November. For flowering plants in pots and conservatory 
work I must mention four sent out by Mr. Cannell—S. splendens Bruanti, 
S. Betheli, S. rutilans, and S. Pitcheri. S. Bruanti is a large-flowered 
variety with splendid scarlet trusses ; S. Betheli a strong grower, and 
the colour is rose with shaded white tips. S. rutilans is a charming 
plant; specimens with from sixty to eighty spikes of lovely magenta- 
coloured blooms are grand. A dozen plants well grown would be most 
valuable to anyone requiring flowering plants in autumn. But I must 
not forget the next, tvhich is S. Pitcheri, with its compact growth and 
beautiful azure-blue flowers. This shade is much needed, and the plant 
is well worthy of being extensively grown.—S. Jenks, Branibletye. 
POTATO DISEASE. 
[A paper read before the Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
December 13 th.] 
Experiments Performed at King’s Lynn in Connection with 
the Jensenian System OF Potato Culture, 1883.— I. Direct Infection 
of the Tubers by the Conidia and Zoospores of Peronospora infestans .— 
It having been asserted that it was impossible thus to cause the disease 
in tubers because of the thickness and impenetrable structure of their 
epidermal tissues, the following experiments were performed, in which 
recently dug tubers had applied to their surface the conidia, by simply 
dashing them with a diseased branch ; they were then placed in the 
earth, and examined eight days afterwards ; an equal number of tubers 
taken from the same root at the same time were also buried as control 
tubers:— 
Variety of Potato. 
No. of tubers 
infected. 
Date. 
No. of control 
tubers. 
Diseased on the 
eighth day. 
iDfected. Control. 
I 
1. Porter’s Excelsior .. 
4 
Aug. 1 
4 
4 
1 
2. Beauty of Hebron .. 
S 
Aug. 1 
3 
3 
3. Porter’s Excelsior .. 
6 
Aug. I 
6 
6 
0 
Experiments Nos. 1 and 2 were made in conjunction with Mr. John 
Thompson at West Lynn. Experiment No. 3 was made in my garden at 
King’s Lynn. Porter’s Excelsior is a Potato which takes the disease 
very readily; so that the control tuber which became diseased was 
doubtless affected before it was buried. Care was taken that the tubers 
